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The Financial Express

Indian minister MJ Akbar resigns

| Updated: October 18, 2018 10:03:30


Indian minister MJ Akbar resigns

India's Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar has resigned from office amid sexual harassment allegations raised by his former colleagues.

The editor-turned-politician was accused of sexual harassment by his former colleagues during his stint as editor of The Asian Age, reports NDTV.

"Since I have decided to seek justice in a court of law in my personal capacity, I deem it appropriate to step down from office and challenge false accusations levied against me, also in a personal capacity," MJ Akbar said.

"I have, therefore, tendered my resignation from the office of Minister of State for External Affairs. I am deeply grateful to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and to the external Affair Minister Smt Sushma Swaraj for the opportunity they gave me to serve my country," he said in a statement.

Akbar, 67, has been named in multiple accounts that have surfaced in the #MeToo movement that started in India after former actor Tanushree Dutta accused her co-star Nana Patekar of harassment during a film shoot 10 years ago.

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